The concert is today at 4pm at Holy Moly. I have to run around a lot, so more later.

I was on my normal morning route to work – a little earlier than usual because I’m backing up my team leader, who’s out today. And I was not looking forward to it on a Friday, and on this particular Friday. So I was bombing along passing big-ass trucks on the right because there was a motorcyclist riding along over on the left, and I wanted to give him plenty of room. And he had that body language that big guys on big bikes get: leaning back in a relaxed, uber-macho position with his big engineer boots propped up on…

One thing that kept me going immediately after the September 11th attacks was the thoughtful and moving coverage from :NPR – All Songs Considered has gathered all the music used on various news shows in one place. It helped a lot then, and still helps. Also, there was a lot of amazing commentary they got from ordinary people calling in and discussing the attacks. There are archives of all their news coverage during the period, and there is an archive of links and stories about the response to the attacks. I was alone that week while David was off in…

I had my first “real” session with the new chiropractor last night. If you’ve been to the “back cracker” you know the drill; at some point, therapeutic violence will be done to your musculo-skeletal system. And at that point, you’ll make a loud “Whuff!” sound and hear alarming crackling sounds transmitted not through the air to your ears from without, but through your bones to your ears from within. Did that. Yep. No T-shirt, though. And I’ve been snap, crackle, poppin’ all day since then. My neck was temporarily loosened up last night (the masseur, Tyrone, went town on several…

This was one of those drop-everything-and-find-this-on-Amazon tunes: a group called Whirligig. The CD is called Spin. The tune was “Wink.” It was supposed to be in the New Acoustics channel, but it was this loopy Celtic/Klezmer romp. And here’s another one: Celtic Cafe by Karen Ashbrook and Paul Oorts. The song: “Style Musette.” This time it’s Celtic mashed up with a gypsy waltz. Jeez, I’d better get to bed, but this channel’s a good find.

I heard this incredible song the other day on the radio – it’s a band called Mutual Admiration Society. The song was called “Sake of the World.” Apprently they’re comprised of some people from Nickle Creek and Glenn Phillips, former front man of Toad The Wet Sprocket. I might have to go out and buy this, like, right now. Or very soon. It was a very beguiling tune.

Yesterday, a chance comment of mine after hearing a piece on :NPR gave David a mind virus for the day; he had Ravel’s “Bolero” stuck on repeat in his head. This morning, WXRT was doing their Friday preview for Saturday Morning Flashback with the time machine/wormhole schtick, and today the chosen year was 1984. The opening notes to Nena’s “99 Red Balloons” floated out of the car speakers, and on autopilot my hand reached out to turn the volume up. Good times. Tried to sing along, but it was the English version and I wanted to sing the chorus in…

Something I often do, but haven’t mentioned before: I sing in the car. Yes, I’m one of those annoying people you see in traffic, sitting at a light that’s just turned green trying to hit the note AND remember the words AND get it in gear AND get their ass moving. That’s me. It’s how I gird up on my way to work, or de-gird on the way home. I often think that good songs at the beginning and end of my day act like bookends. I usually listen to WBEZ for news, but WXRT for music. In fact, you…

Listening to KUNC‘s music webcast – they’re playing a lot of Ray Charles’ music just now. Sounds good. It helps. (Why do I listen to a Colorado station? That goes back to a trip with David in 1995. Don’t worry about it. Just listen.)